That Black Dress
by Rurple101
Summary: BBC adaption - The Silkworm (Part Two) spoilers! One-shot. Robin turns up at the office in her black dress for the Roper Chard party and this is what Strike thinks of her outfit.


**That Black Dress**  
 _By Rurple101_

* * *

Cormoran Strike knew that every woman had a little black dress and that it was a simple yet smart and essential ensemble to have.

A lot of the fashion magazines he had encountered over the years (which he had normally read whilst waiting for his girlfriend to be styled at the hairdressers on numerous occasions) told women that if there was one outfit they should always have on standby, was a little black dress.

' _The LBD can be styled appropriately with a casual jacket for a day out, or accompanied with heels for a night on the town'_ was one phrase he distinctly remembered in his strangely good memory bank. He recalled that fashion designers such as the famous Coco Chanel had championed the trend especially, who had truthfully started it.

He had seen his ex-girlfriend, Charlotte Campbell wear numerous outfits over their sixteen years on/off again relationship which had ended over a year ago. She had had many dresses and outfits, all of which almost detracted from her natural beauty, as they stole attention from her phenomenal face and features.

Strike's favourite dress of hers wasn't a black one, but a blue wrap over the shoulder tight dress. She had been the most beautiful woman Strike had ever seen, and she had been a goddess draped on his arm, even when he'd been on crutches.

He never thought he would see another woman he cared about wear a dress that would make him speechless at the sight.

He had been wrong.

When he had seen his secretary and work partner, Robin Ellacott when she arrived at their shared office space in Denmark Street, he had been rendered incapable of speech for over ten seconds of stunned silence.

Robin hadn't been looking up at him as she was closing her clutch bag, so she had not seen the way he had inadvertently looked at her tight black dress that hugged her slender curves showing off her small bare shoulders, the stylish way she had tied up her distinctive strawberry blonde curls and the way her black heels had made him the exact same eye level as he.

He had struggled to compose his face in time.

When she looked up, she looked confused for a split second at his dazed expression.

"What's the matter?" she asked, genuinely curious and slightly concerned at him.

He felt his insides tighten and move, the deep, intense traitorous feelings he so often restrained, as they tested their powerful bonds.

Don't be a stupid fucker, he warned himself mentally. You do not want to fuck this up.

Exactly what he meant by 'this' he was uneasy to give a name to.

"I'm fine" he grunted as he pulled his jacket together, and did one button to pull it smartly across his chest. He felt so unfit, so fat and hideous, and yet here Robin was, looking absolutely gorgeous.

She was a sight for sore eyes, and he was secretly glad to have had a chance to see her like this, for the same traitorous feelings he hid under his surly surface.

"You…you dress up well" she complimented him hesitantly.

Was he imagining a slight pink to her cheeks? He doubted it, he knew it was only the nippiness of the night and the steady climb of the stairs up to their office.

He doubted it, he knew it was only the nippiness of the night and the steady climb of the stairs up to their office.

The thought that she was attracted to him...made his traitorous feelings jump up and down in his chest, giving him the feeling of butterflies that he'd not felt in years. He felt like a teenager who'd asked a girl out for the first time.

He smiled at her, and he had a hard time covering the affection in his gaze as he looked at her. His eyes must've softened because something in her face softened as well.

"I suppose the silk green dress was too long," he said cheekily.

She defiantly did flush this time and he winked at her.

"Oh well…I…err..." Robin stuttered as she tried and failed to remember what explanation she would give the single best gift anyone had ever given to her.

To her shame, that included the sapphire engagement ring her fiancé Mathew had bought her, and the promise of marriage along with it.

However, the dress Strike had bought her had the memory of being taken on indefinitely to be his work partner, as an investigator, a lifelong ambition of her own.

"I didn't mean to embarrass you Robin" Strike said, his voice quieter, and she looked up to see him looking uneasy.

She instinctively stepped forward and touched the back of his hand, feeling the long hairs that grew on top of it. The feeling was not as rough as one would think, and the hairs were soft, as was his hand.

"I'm not embarrassed" she clarified and met his gaze. He was looking down at her silently.

 _Don't do it, you fucker_ , he cautioned himself.

How easy would it be to do it, he wondered? The air was thick with tension that was caused by the electric chemistry between the pair.

How easy would it be…

To pull her closer to his chest…

He snapped himself out his fantasies; she was engaged and was faithful to Mathew, and he, Strike wouldn't endanger her happiness for a couple of passion-filled seconds on his part.

She would be disgusted with him, and leave, and he would be alone all over again.

She deserved better than the pair of them.

"We'd better go.." he said in his normal tone, but then as she withdrew her hand, he felt his own turn and one of his fingers slid down her palm as she withdrew.

 _Stop it you fucker!_

He went to open the door for her, but then paused and turned to her, hand still on the door handle.

"You look… absolutely beautiful" he told her sincerely and couldn't stop a blush of his own behind his cheeks.

There was a heavy moment of stillness in which they gazed at each other, almost longingly but then Robin blushed scarlet, looking flustered and taken off-guard.

Grinning, Strike opened the door and allowed her out first. He closed the door behind them, locked it and they made their way downstairs.

When they reached the outer door, he locked it and then offered her his arm.

The feeling in his chest fluttered hopefully, almost painfully when she beamed back at him before she slipped her arm through his.

 _That fucking black dress_ … Strike thought.

 **Author's Note** **: This, as many of you will guess, is inspired by the scene in the BBC's adaption of The Silkworm, Part Two, where Holliday Granger wears the black LBD I've seen! And the fact that they keep giving each other lovey eyes is adorable! I have a feeling that I will be writing another one-shot on these two! I'm a massive fan of the books and I'm loving the adaptions so far! Hope you guys enjoyed it!**


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